Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-06-17
FROM WASHINGTON.
Especial Correspondence Of The Alexa. GAZETTE
WASHINGTON, D. c., June Il, 1887.

w ASh1NdlON ~ ~, O'HN @'f @OS''
The rumor that Secretary Lamar will be
offered the vacant seat on the supreme
Bench is supplemented this morning by the
additional one that Senator Ransom, oil
North Carolina, who, unlike his colleague,
Senator Vance, is strong administration
man, will take his place in the cabinet. Inc
first rumor may be true, as every oody
knows that Mr.. Lamar wants the place, and
wants it badly, and that politically, he is
dead man, and that as he has renounced
deliberately formed opinions and sacrificed
his self respect in behalf OF the PRESIDENT,
common gratitude would inspire the latter
to provide place for him while he has the
power and the opportunity TO do to. But
the last can not be credited by any one &C
uuainted with General Ransom, rail- otthem
know that the General is not the kind OF
man to give up certainly two and possibly
eight years in the U. s. Senate for ut most q
short term as cabinet minister and politi-
cal oblivion thereafter. Mr.. Lamar may be
an associate justice OF the U. >. supreme
Court, but Senator Ransom will not be 81
member of Mr. Ceveland's cabinet.
The interstate commerce commission TO-
day heard arguments in the matter OF the
complaint of the Chicago Rock Island and
Central Railroad. The grievance set out
by the complaining company is that the
New York Central company refuses to sell
tickets over their line. The commission adj
iourned till Monday.
To-day, as yesterday, the Presidents or
der directing the return of the Confederate
flags in the War Department to the States
from whose soldiers they were captured, IS
49, IL oIoorhipfr tnnip nf oNnVarsoti 0n
among the politicians here, and, indeed, of
everybody else who takes any intereat in
public affairs The generally prevailing
impress except among the few who, Ell
ther for favors received or expected, talk as
though they think the President immacu-
late, is, to use street expression, that MIR.
Cleveland has "put himself in hole" that
he made the North angry by issuing the or
der, and, without appeasing that anger, has
disguised the South by revoking it. The
administration democrats are sorey bother
ed but, adopting the Presidents cue, attempt
to attribute the blame to Gen. Drum and
Secretary Endicott, who, they say, conceived
the idea of returning the flags, which other
wise would have remained where they are
and been forgotten, as nobody had ever ask
ed or ever would have asked for their re
luTu. uo
say the order was deliberately considered
in Cabinet meeting, at which the Chief law
officer of the administration was present,
and was unanimously determined upon ;
that prescriptive is the strongest kind Of
law, and that from Lincoln's time down to
the present captured flags in the War De.
partment had been given to the North sim
ply for the asking, and that though nobody
in the South had asked for the flags, the
public offer to return them, the public ac-
ceptance of that offer and the still
more public withdrawal of that offer
will not increase the Presidents pop.
uarity in that section, and that his
attempt to lay the responsibility of the
order on Gen. Drum and Secretary Endi.
colt is unworthy of him and should induce
the Secretary at least TO resign. The re-
publicans chuckle and grin, and say it is
none of their fight now that he has revoked
the order. Col. Ordway, OF the District
militia, says doubtless Gen. Drum thought
the return of the flags would have capped
the climax of the administrations nation
atty, but the result has been ridiculously
disastrous. Congressman Taulbee, of Ken
lucky, who is not enamored Of the President
says the revocation of the order is the very
thing he wanted, as it may open the eyes Of
the Southern people. Congressman Her
bert, of Alabama, says that nothing can
hurt the President, as he is a man of des
tiny.